Drew Brees has multiple fractured ribs, likely to miss several weeks
The New Orleans Saints future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees is likely to miss several weeks after fracturing multiple ribs against the 49ers.
After helping win the team’s sixth game in a row, Drew Brees will now be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Banged up against the 49ers and forced to exit at halftime, Brees was eventually diagnosed with multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung. ESPN’s Ed Werder was the first to report the update on Brees.
Saints’ QB Drew Brees has multiple rib fractures on both sides of his chest and a collapsed lung on the right side, per @WerderEdESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2020
After Brees went down, it was clear it wasn’t going to be good. Brees missed five games last season. Then, Teddy Bridgewater, who is currently the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, took over and led the team to a 5-0 record without Brees.
This time, the Saints will, in all likelihood, be captained by the league’s 2019 passing leader, Jameis Winston, a former No. 1 overall pick that was put in the game at halftime when Brees clearly wasn’t ready to return.
Thankfully he didn’t return against San Francisco, and now the timetable could be 2-3 weeks on the “optimistic” side for Brees. It’ll be a tough few weeks for the star as he’ll watch his team play a few crucial battles including one against reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Source on Brees says the most optimistic recovery time would be 2-3 weeks. Emphasis on "optimistic." Will depend on healing time, which varies by patient, and when they're convinced he can take a hit without risk of serious re-injury. There is hope he's back in time for playoffs.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) November 16, 2020
Brees is on track to have the league’s best completion percentage for the fourth straight season.
With 18 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, he’s leaving some big shoes for Winston to fill. It’s why Winston came to New Orleans. He’s been behind Brees, and as with Bridgewater, filling in for the star could result in a massive contract this offseason.
Winston doesn’t need to be dominant, but he does need to prove that with a team like New Orleans, he can win. Even if it took four field goals like it did with Bridgewater against Dallas, Winston needs to just win.
This time around, the Saints playoff hopes may not rest on his performance. They have seven wins. Expecting the team wins one of their next three, they’ll at worst be 8-4 when Brees returns, assuming the optimistic timetable is accurate.
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That said, let’s cross out fingers, Who Dat Nation. Winston’s got this.